If you are making changes to the exterior of your house, then yes you do.

For simple requests, like adding a satellite dish or repainting your house in a color not on the color palette, submit a Simple Architectural Request.

For more complex changes like changing the appearance, adding a shed, etc., submit a Complex Architectural Request.

Note: You are responsible for obtaining required permits and assuring the property has blue-stake markings prior to digging. Country Trace Architectural Committee approval is not a substitute for building permits or inspections.

Yes, past due balances incur late fees.

Put simply, a 1% per month late fee is assessed on past due balances. There is an additional charge of $15 when your dues payment becomes past due. A balance becomes past due 30 days after it’s due date, per the CC&Rs and By-Laws. This probably sounds a little confusing so let’s take a hypothetical example and see how it works.

You receive a Dues notice in December and it is due January 1. If you do not pay before the due date, fees begin to be assessed in the following manner.

• Assume the amount due by January 1 was $92.50.
• On February 1, your payment is past due.
• On February 1, a 1% late charge is assessed against the balance of $92.50 PLUS a $15 late fee making the balance due $108.58.
• On March 1, if you still have not paid a 1% late charge is assessed against the balance of $108.58 making your new balance due $109.66.
• On April 1, if you still have not paid a 1% late charge is assessed against the balance of $109.66 making your new balance due $110.76.
• On May 1, if you still have not paid a 1% late charge is assessed against the balance of $110.76 making your new balance due $111.86.
• On June 1, if you still have not paid a 1% late charge is assessed against the balance of $111.86 making your new balance due $112.98.
• At the end of June you receive an invoice for the next period dues PLUS your past due, penalty and late fees making your new balance due $205.48.
• On July 31, your second dues payment becomes past due.
• On August 1, if you still have not paid a 1% late charge is assessed against the balance of $205.48 PLUS a late fee of $15 making your new balance due $222.69.
• On September 1, if you still have not paid a 1% late charge is assessed against the past due balance of $222.69 making your new balance due $224.92.

This sequence repeats, with the balance due increasing each month until you pay.

In addition, there is an automatic lien against your property for the unpaid dues that will be deducted from your proceeds if you sell your house.

If the amount past due becomes excessive, the HOA can place a lien on your property and take you to court to recover the amount due. If that occurs you will have to pay court and attorney’s fees on top of your past due Dues.

At the current time, short-term rentals (less than 30 days) are not prohibited by HOA documents. However, HOAs can pass amendments that restrict, regulate, and assess fees for such rentals.

Also be aware of the following issues (related to short-term rentals) in Arizona:

• County and city laws that stipulate registration, use, and taxes
• The Arizona legislature had introduced several bills (HB2875, SB1554, SB1490) that restricted short-term rentals, but the legislative session was ended early due to COVID

While the HOA has no restrictions on STRs, the State, County and City of Phoenix do.

State of Arizona

Current legislation prevents cities and towns from prohibiting short term rentals. However, a Transaction Privilege Tax license is required.

Maricopa County

• All rentals (of any duration) must be registered as a rental. Check at maricopa.gov.
• All Short Term Rentals are required to be registered. A certificate with the local contact information and registration number must be posted within 10 feet of the front door.

City of Phoenix - (Country Trace Jurisdiction)

A standard notice with prohibited uses (per city ordinances) must also be displayed . Find this list at phoenix.gov. The local contact will receive a violation if they are not available within 60 minutes of police contact.

Phoenix Police - (Country Trace Jurisdiction)

Enforce prohibited uses and respond to noise/nuisance complaints. Police can issue violations and support hosts in the removal of guests that are in violation of the house/lease requirements.

Country Trace HOA

Currently Country Trace does not have minimum stay requirements. Amending CC&Rs can be a time-consuming, costly, and legally-intense process.

Country Trace Homeowners

Contact the local host every time you have a concern. Call the police for prohibited use or noise concerns.

Sooner or later a swimming pool needs to be drained. Per City of Phoenix Code, Section 31-8 and Section 23-33, it is illegal to discharge contaminated and/or chlorinated water into a city street.

But there is a solution for homeowners -- ALL homes in Country Trace have a sewer cleanout. The cleanout will be located at the front of the house, usually within 5 feet of a front wall. Most likely locations are near where the water service enters the house or outside a bathroom or kitchen. The cleanout should be at grade level and be 3" black PVC with a square, threaded cap. It is quite common for sewer cleanouts to be covered or obscured by landscaping or hardscaping.

Procedure for using the sewer clean-out:

• Locate the clean-out. If there are two, use the one closest to the home.
• Remove the cap and insert the drain hose a few inches into the pipe.
• Secure the drain hose so it won't pop out.
• Turn on the pump.
• Immediately check to ensure no water is backing up into the house. Drains in showers and tubs are the first places to check.
• If the water backs up, turn off the pump immediately. You may have a blockage, or the flow rate is too high.

​Note: Do not install the pool drain line as a permanent fixture. This may violate the city plumbing code or county health regulations and could contaminate the water when you refill the pool.

For additional details, visit City of Phoenix website: https://www.phoenix.gov/waterservices/customerservices/generalinfo/poolinfo

When filling your pool, it is best to do so when the water rates are at their lowest (December through March). However, your monthly sewer charge is based on a calculation of a percentage of the average water usage for the January through March billing cycle reflected on your city services bill. If you do refill the pool during the months of January, February or March billing cycles, you should visit the website “MyPHX311”, select "Submit Documents - City Services Bill​" and select "Sewer Fee Review" from the pull-down menu and fill out the online form. This process will notify the City of Phoenix that your water usage was higher during those months because you filled your pool and should be reviewed to remove the excess water usage from the annual sewer fee calculation. If you cannot use the online system, download the form here ​and submit it by mail.

Note: Submitting the form does not guarantee that the request will be approved. All requests for a Sewer Fee Review must be submitted within 60 days from the July bill date.

For more information on water rates, visit the City of Phoenix website: https://www.phoenix.gov/waterservices/customerservices/rateinfo